The present invention relates to extrudable poly(propylene) compositions, and more specifically, to extrudable poly(propylene) compositions for use in pipelines.
Pipeline coatings made of poly(propylene) (PP) are an essential component of undersea applications. However, shortcomings in pipeline coating performance due to cracking, bond failures, adhesion issues, and mechanical failure persist.
The current pipeline coating technologies use PP or a mixture of PP with other polyolefins (e.g., high-density polyethylene or polystyrene) to extrude plastic coatings. Several factors negatively impact the performance of these coating plastics: exposure to sunlight can cause surface oxidation, de-colorization, and bond failure. Moreover, laying and installing pipelines undersea can result in stress cracks. The undersea environment can further degrade pipeline materials. The pipeline coating industry actively seeks alternative materials and formulations that can be extruded at high temperature and provide improved thermal and mechanical properties of the pipeline coatings.